to an order from their commander in
chief that was most tragically misunderstood, yet obeyed and charged the Russian guns at the far end of the valley that has come to be known as the Valley of Death. Few survived the charge unscathed, and Colonel De Lancey, in a selfless endeavor to save the life of one of his troopers, suffered most grievous wounds. His heroism is, we have been given to understand, to be rewarded with Her Majesty’s highest honor-the medal of the Victoria Cross.
I regret that I shall not have the privilege of investing the colonel with it-that privilege will, in due course, be given to the governor general of India, since Colonel De Lancey will be unable to attend the investiture in London by Her Majesty the Queen in person.”
The governor paused, an erect, soldierly figure in his full-dress uniform. He lifted his glass to William De Lancey, a warm smile lighting his austere, high-boned face.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to drink to the health and future prosperity of Colonel and Mrs. De Lancey, to wish them Godspeed and, let us hope, a safe return to these shores when, in the fullness of time, the colonel’s service with the Honorable East India Company comes to an end and both are free to come home to Sydney!”
The applause was thunderous, and Magdalen turned with tears in her eyes to clasp Kitty’s hand before resuming her seat.
“They are both such fine people,” she said huskily.
“And we shall miss them sorely-my husband more than most, for he worships Jenny. I just hope and pray that
he
will be permitted to remain on this station. There are alarming rumors of trouble in China, but-was She blinked back her tears. “At least whilst his ship is engaged in the evacuation of the Norfolk Island convicts, Their Lordships cannot order him there. And Red does not anticipate such an order. The Huntsman
was sent to join the China Fleet a few weeks ago, so that the
Gaiah
is the only frigate left here now. Red says that it is unlikely in the extreme that the Admiralty will contemplate denuding Australia and New Zealand of all save a few small
sloops and colonial steam vessels. I hope, with all my heart, that he is right!”
It was natural, Kitty thought with ready sympathy, for her to want her husband at least nearby when their child was born, but, with newfound cynicism, she wondered whether the British William Stuart Long
Admiralty would set as much store by the evacuation of a far-off colonial penal settlement as they would over the protection of commercial interests in China.
But she refrained from saying so, and Magdalen went on, in a more optimistic tone, “It was a stroke of good fortune, really, that the colonial vessel Lady Franklin
was found to be unseaworthy and had to be taken out of service. For the past six months the Lady Franklin
had been employed in the evacuation, you see, and Red’s ship was the only vessel large enough to take her place. Otherwise, I feel sure, the Galah,
too, would have been on her way to Hong Kong. But-was She broke off, with an apologetic exclamation.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, telling you all this, Lady Kitty, since you cannot possibly be interested in the navy’s comings and goings.
Or, come to that, in Norfolk Island.”
“Oh, but I’m very interested, Mrs. Broome,”
Kitty began impulsively. “You see, my brother is-was She had been about to embark once more on a description of Patrick’s proposed book, but there was a call for silence, and Colonel De Lancey rose to reply to the governor’s toast.
He spoke briefly and modestly, expressing his regret and that of his wife that they must leave the colony, and then, bowing to Governor Denison, invited the assembled company to join him in drinking to Their Excellencies’ health.
The toast was drunk, and, as the applause died down, Kitty saw Patrick making his way through the crush of people toward her. He looked elated, and her heart quickened its beat when he
chief that was most tragically misunderstood, yet obeyed and charged the Russian guns at the far end of the valley that has come to be known as the Valley of Death. Few survived the charge unscathed, and Colonel De Lancey, in a selfless endeavor to save the life of one of his troopers, suffered most grievous wounds. His heroism is, we have been given to understand, to be rewarded with Her Majesty’s highest honor-the medal of the Victoria Cross.
I regret that I shall not have the privilege of investing the colonel with it-that privilege will, in due course, be given to the governor general of India, since Colonel De Lancey will be unable to attend the investiture in London by Her Majesty the Queen in person.”
The governor paused, an erect, soldierly figure in his full-dress uniform. He lifted his glass to William De Lancey, a warm smile lighting his austere, high-boned face.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to drink to the health and future prosperity of Colonel and Mrs. De Lancey, to wish them Godspeed and, let us hope, a safe return to these shores when, in the fullness of time, the colonel’s service with the Honorable East India Company comes to an end and both are free to come home to Sydney!”
The applause was thunderous, and Magdalen turned with tears in her eyes to clasp Kitty’s hand before resuming her seat.
“They are both such fine people,” she said huskily.
“And we shall miss them sorely-my husband more than most, for he worships Jenny. I just hope and pray that
he
will be permitted to remain on this station. There are alarming rumors of trouble in China, but-was She blinked back her tears. “At least whilst his ship is engaged in the evacuation of the Norfolk Island convicts, Their Lordships cannot order him there. And Red does not anticipate such an order. The Huntsman
was sent to join the China Fleet a few weeks ago, so that the
Gaiah
is the only frigate left here now. Red says that it is unlikely in the extreme that the Admiralty will contemplate denuding Australia and New Zealand of all save a few small
sloops and colonial steam vessels. I hope, with all my heart, that he is right!”
It was natural, Kitty thought with ready sympathy, for her to want her husband at least nearby when their child was born, but, with newfound cynicism, she wondered whether the British William Stuart Long
Admiralty would set as much store by the evacuation of a far-off colonial penal settlement as they would over the protection of commercial interests in China.
But she refrained from saying so, and Magdalen went on, in a more optimistic tone, “It was a stroke of good fortune, really, that the colonial vessel Lady Franklin
was found to be unseaworthy and had to be taken out of service. For the past six months the Lady Franklin
had been employed in the evacuation, you see, and Red’s ship was the only vessel large enough to take her place. Otherwise, I feel sure, the Galah,
too, would have been on her way to Hong Kong. But-was She broke off, with an apologetic exclamation.
“I don’t know what I’m doing, telling you all this, Lady Kitty, since you cannot possibly be interested in the navy’s comings and goings.
Or, come to that, in Norfolk Island.”
“Oh, but I’m very interested, Mrs. Broome,”
Kitty began impulsively. “You see, my brother is-was She had been about to embark once more on a description of Patrick’s proposed book, but there was a call for silence, and Colonel De Lancey rose to reply to the governor’s toast.
He spoke briefly and modestly, expressing his regret and that of his wife that they must leave the colony, and then, bowing to Governor Denison, invited the assembled company to join him in drinking to Their Excellencies’ health.
The toast was drunk, and, as the applause died down, Kitty saw Patrick making his way through the crush of people toward her. He looked elated, and her heart quickened its beat when he
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